Street or station indicating apparatus



' Aug. 26,- m4.- 1,506,109

J. W. CARNOCHAN STREET 0R STATION INDICA'IING APPARATUS Filed May 1?, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR (/ohn 14/ Carnoqhan ATT NEY Aug. 26 1924., 4 1,506,109

- J. W. CARNOCHl XN STREET 0R STATION INDICATING APPARATUS Filed M y 12, 1,923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR John 11 Cornea/nan ATTo EY Patented Aug. 26, 1924 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN W. GARNOGPLAN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ALFRED EGCLE' STONE, OF ST. CATHERINES, ONTARIO, CANADA.

STREET 01?. STATION INDICATING AFPARATUS.

Application filed May 12,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. CAnNoorrAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street or Station Indicating Apparatusof which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a. new and improved type of street or station announcing apparatus which is adapted for use in street railways, suburban electric railroads as well as steam railroads.

These and other objectsof this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings,.described'in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanaying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the announcing apparatus having its casing removed therefrom to show the mechanism thereof.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus without the casing. 47 Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus the section being taken on the line 3 3 of-Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure i is an enlarget detail sectional view of the clutch connection between the driving mechanism and the apparatus proper the section being taken on the line 4 l of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the ap paratus adapted for operation by hand instead of the electric driving mechanism illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the rollers and belt mounted to travel over the rollers, the belt having the names of the streets or stations printed thereon.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric controlling mechanism for driving the apparatus with a step by step movement.

Figure 9' is a detail perspective view of the mechanism for reversing the movement of the apparatus.

In the several figures of the drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The apparatus forming the subject matter of my present invention is adapted for use in electric and steam railroads to indicate the name of the station or street that the 1923. SerialNo. 638,511.

car or train approaches. In this Way the passengers can be kept posted as to the names of the stations, streets or stops with out depending on the conductor for the announcing thereof.

its illustrated in the drawings this apparatus comprises a series of three rollers, the end rollers 1 and 2 and the intermediate roller 3. Of these the end rollers are mounted to rotate between a pair of swinging levers or arms 4 and 5 carried on the ends of the shaft 6. The shaft 6 in turn is mounted to rock in suitable bearings provided in the upright members 7 and 8 forming part of the frame in Which the several members of the mechanism of the apparatus are mounted as will hereinafter be described. The uprights 7 and 8 are undercut as indicatedl y reference numeral 9 in Figure 3 so as to allow the shaft of the roller 2 to swing in and out of the undercut portion of the uprights 7 and 8 for a purpose that will presently appear.

Keyed to the outer end of the shafts of the rollers l and 2 are the gears 10 and 11 respectively and these gears-are constantly in mesh with each other so that on the rotation of the one the other roller will rotate withit. The belt containing the names of the streets or stations is wound from one of the end rollers to the other and in so doing passes over the third or intermediate roller 8. Thus at the beginning of each run the belt with the names is wound up on either the top or the bottom roller. When the apparatus is then operated by a driving mechanism that will presently be described the belt is pulled from this roller over the intermediate roller to the other of the end rollers. This is made possible by means of a series of pins 12 and 13 that project from the periphery of the roller 2) in two parallel rows with regular intervals between them.

The pins 12 and 13 are adapted to project through or mesh with corresponding holes in the belt similar to the way that the teeth of a sprocket gear engage with its sprocket chain. Vhen, tl'iereforeflhe intermediate roll r is rotated by an intermittently operating driving mechanism the belt containing the names of the streets or stations will be drawn off from the one end roller and fed to the other of the end rollers; The distances between the names of the streets or stations as printedon theloeltare so spaced that at each operation of the driving mechanism the roller 3 will draw the belt forward each time far enough to display consecutive names in front of the roller in a position that will enable the passengers to observe them in turn through the opening in the front of the casing containing the apparatus.

For the purpose of keeping the belt 15 in contact withithe roller 3 and prevent the disengagement of the pins 12 and 13 from the holes in the belt, an idle roller 16 is allowedto rest on top of the roller 3. The outer ends of the shaft of this idle roller are placed in a vertical slot provided in each of the uprights 7 and 8 at the top thereof to form suitable bearings therefor. The idle roller is preferably made of heavy metal so that its weight will help to keep the belt 15 in contact with the roller 3.

As the belt 15 unrolls from the one end roller over the intermediate roller to the other end roller the diameter of the end rollers from which the belt is unrolled decreases while the diameter of the other end rollerincreases. This means that the position of the end rollers must be constantly changed during the unrolling and rolling up of the belt on the two end rollers in order to compensate for the increased or decreased peripheral speed of the end rollers. In'this way the roller on which the belt is rolled up is gradually drawn toward the intermediate roller because its peripheral speed is gradually increasing with its increased diameter while the other roller from which the belt is unrolled gradually swings away from the intermediate roller as its diameter decreases'with a correspondingly decreased peripheral speed. This is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 7 and is made possible by mounting the end rollers on a pair of swinging arms and connecting them with a pair of gears as above described. Two pairs of springs 17, 17, and 18, 18 are connected at one end to the upper and lower ends of the swinging arms 4 and 5. The other end of each of said springs is connected to the stationary uprights 7 and 8in order to always pull the arms 4: and 5 with the end rollers back to their normal vertical position during the rolling up or unrolling of the belt from the one end roller to the other end roller. This keeps the belt taut at all times.

The driving mechanism for intermittently advancing the belt by an intermittent rotation of the intermediate roller 3 will now be described. This driving mechanism comprises a ratchet mechanism made up of a double ratchet wheel 20. This ratchet wheel is mounted to the outer end of the shaft carrying the intermediate roller 3. The ratchet wheel is divided by a circular flange encircling the wheel. in the middle thereof and the ratchet teeth on one side of this flange point in one direction while the ratchet teeth on the other side of the flange point in the opposite direction. The ratchet wheel is made up in this manner in order to make the indicating mechanism reversible as will presently be described.

The ratchet wheel 20 is operated by a pair of ratchet pawls 21 and 22 carried on the outer ends of the swinging arm 23. This arm is mounted to swing on the stud 24 carried on the upper end of the upright or standard 25. The lower half of the arm 23 is slotted as indicated at 26 and the crank pin 27 of the crank 28 engages into this slot. The crank 28 is formed on the outer end of the clutch member 29 which is mounted to rotate on the stud 30 supported by the standard 31. A second clutch member 32 is also mounted to rotate on the stud 31 and forced against the clutch member 29 by means of the expansion spring 33. In this way the friction discs carried on the ends of the clutch members are forced together so that on the rotation of the clutch member 32 the clutch member 29 is rotated by the clutch member 32 providing the clutch member 29 is not held against rotation by the controlling mecha nism that will presently be described.

The clutch member 32 has a gear 34 formed on one side thereof and this gear meshes with the pinion 35 keyed to the end of the shaft 36. This shaft is mounted to rotate in the bearing 37 and has a worm wheel 38 keyed thereon. fl worm 39 driven by a suitable electric motor 40 meshes with I the worm wheel 38 and furnishes the motive power for the operation of the street or station indicator. I

As illustrated in Figures 3 and 6 one of the pawls 21 is allowed to engage the ratchet wheel while the other is held out of en-- gagement with it. Thus in Figure 3 the pawl 21 engages the ratchet wheel 20. On the rotation of the crank 28 the arm 23 swings back and forth. and this in turn causes the pawl 21 to advance theratchet wheel one tooth in a counterclockwise direction during one revolution of the crank 28. This in turn moves the belt over the intermediate roller so that the name of the station or street just passed disappears and the name of the next street or station appears and is shown by the indicator.

At the end of the run the names of the streets or stations must beshown in their reverse order and for this purpose the movement of the intermediate roller must be re versed. This is done by disengaging the pawl. 21 from the 'ratchet wheel and bringing the pawl 22 in engagement with the ratchet wheel. For this purpose acam 41 is carried on the stud 24. This cam when rotatedthrough ,an-angle of 180? with the stud 24 by means or a suitable handle 42 forces the bolt lffi upwardly along the edge of the upper hall of the arm 23 and lifts the pawl 21 out of engagement with the ratchet Wheel 20 while at the same time allowing the bolt 44 to reccde so that the spring 45 can draw the pawl 22 into engagement with the ratchet Wheel 2G. A similar spring 46 will draw the pawl 21 back into engagement with the ratchet wheel 20 when allowed to do so on the operation of the cam 41 by means of the handle 4 As above pointed out the driving mechanism of the indicator must be intermittent and advance the indicating belt step by step so as to display only one name at a time. The clutch mechanism comprising the clutch members 29 and tori s part of this mechanism. As illustrated in Figure e the clutch member 29 has a cam 50 provided on the periphery thereof. lhis cam is illustrated in Figure 8 and comprises a spiral cam havshoulder 51 formed on the periphery thereof. A. bolt normally projects into the path of the shoulder 51 and prevents rotation of the cam 50. On the withdrawal of this bolt, however, the cam is free to rotate so that the clutch member 29 can be driven by the clutch member'SFZ as heretofore pointed out. To engage the bolt 52 with the shoulder or withdraw it therefrom the bolt 52 is operated by a solenoid 53. This solenoid is connected in series with the retating switch member 5% which when rotated, momentarily closes the electric circuit 55 so that the bolt 52 is withdraw from in :lront ot the shoulder 51 oi the cam 50. lVhile the bolt is thus withdrawn a further rotation of the switch closes the electric cir t 56 through the rotating switch member .nd starts the electric motor which turnishes the motive power for the appara as l drives it through the train of gearing heretofore described. Each of the rotatii switch members 54; and 57 has a segmental contact strip 58 anc respectively which strips are adapted to connect the contact men'ibers of each of the rotating switch members 54: and 5?. The segmental COlllitli'l str p 58 ot the rotating switch member 5% is smal so as to connect the contact membe SWFJLli men'iher but a very short time. l 7 enough to operate the solenoid so 1 to hit the bolt out of engagement with suonlder and thus release the cam 50 and s clutch member 29 and allow the motor l0 to operate the announcing appara tus thro g'h the o clutch ineml 32. As soon t 2 he solenoic has lifted the bolt it the rotating switch member 57 operates to close the motor circuit and keep this circuit closed during the rotation of the switch in order to keep the motor running for a predetermined time. The motor thus 0perates the mechanism but at the end of the 2 which has been released by the solenoil i' motor has started to rotate it, enga shoulder 51 on the cam and arrest; her movement thereof. [any inovement of the motor due to its momentum will theretore, not rotate the cam after it has been .-I3(l one coir 'ilete revolution unless the switch is opei-"at'd again. In this Way the announcing apparatus will only advance one name at a time at each opera ion of the swil ch.

'l he motor driven mechanism for opcrating the annc cing apparatus may be done with entirely '5. the apparatus op- "hrough a cable connected to tinted in Figure in 1o: apparatus is aditet. "whenever the conductor or motornian pulls the cable so as to swing the arm to advance the ratchet wheel 20 one ratchet tooth.

I claim:

1. in a street or station indicator the comii. ation of a tramm a positively driven roller mounted to rotate in said frame, pair of arms mo .nted to swing on said iirame a pair of mic rollers mounted between: the outer ends oi said swinging arms means for operativ ly coin said idle rollers with each other to maize them rotate in nnisoin a belt having 1122;" in'inted thereon at pre determined intervals lhcreot adapted to be unwound troni one ot' said idle rollers passed over said positively driven roller and wound up on the other of said idle rollers means carried on the pcri 'ihery of said positively driven roller to engage said belt, pull it from one of the idle rollers and teed it onto the other of said idle rollers.

2. In a street or station indicator. the combination of a frame, a positively driven roller mounted to rotate in said traine a pair of arms mounted to swing on said :lran'ie a pair of idle rollers mounted between the outer ends of sr d swinging arma a belt having names pi d. thereon at predetern'iined intervas thereof apted to be tin-- wound 'l roin one of said idle rollers. passed over said positively driven roller ad wound up on the other ot stair. idlev rol ere, means cmrried on the periphery of said positively driven roller to eag e said belt, pull it from one the idle rollers and feed it o: other of said idle rollers a train 1' carried by one of said pair oil? su to make said idle rollers 'c in unison.

in a street or station ir-..liral' u', the combination ot a trauma a positively driven roller mounted to rotate in said frame, a pair of arms mounted to swing on said frame, a pair idle rollers mounted between the outer ends ot'said swinging arms, a belt hav-' llhi lll)

from one of said idle rollers, passed over said positively driven roller and Wound up on the other o't "aid idle rollers, means carried on the periphery of said positively driven roller to eng said belt, pull it from one oi" the idle rollers and feed it onto the other o i said idle rollers, a train or gearing cz'zrried by one of said pair of swinging arms to maize said idle rollers rotate in unison, nil-ans for intermittently rotating said posilively driven roller.

a street or station indicator, the combination of a frame, a positively driven roller mounted to rotate in said trains, a pair of arms mounted to swing on said frame, a pair of idle rollers mounted between the outer e ds of said swinging arms, 1 baring nan r, printed thereon at pre determined intervals thereof adapted to be unwound from one of said idle rollers, passed over said positively driven roller and wound up on the other 0t said idle rollers, means carried on the periphery of said positively driven roller to engage said belt, pull it from one of the idle rollers and feed it onto the other of said idle rollers, a train of gearing carried by one of said pair of swinging arms to make said idle rollers romm in unison, a double ratchet wheel carried by said positively driven roller, a swinging ratchet arm, a pawl carried at each end or said swinging ratchet arm, means for hold- .ing one of: said pawls in engagement with said ratchet wheel and hold the other of said pawls out of engagement with said ratchet wheel, means tor swinging said ratchet arm.

5. In a street or station indicator, the combination of a frame, a positively driven roller mounted to rotate in said frame, a pair of arms mounted to swing on said frame, a pair of idle rollers mounted between the outer ends of said swinging arms, a belt having names printed thereon at predetermined intervals thereoi adapted to be unwound from one 01" said. idle rollers, passed over said positively driven roller and wound up on the other of said idle rollers, means carried on the periphery of said positively driven roller to engage said belt, pull it from one of the idle rollers and feed itonto the other of said idle rollers, a train at gearing carried by one of said pair of swinging arms to make said idle rollers rotate in unison, means for intermittently rotating said positively driven roller, an electric motor for driving said means for intermittently rotating said positively driven roller, a clutch, and means for automatically operating said clutch to permit but one revolution thereof.

6.1n a street or station indicator, the combination of a frame, a positively driven belt, pull it from one of the idle rollers and J feed it onto the other of said idle rollers,

a train of gearing carried by one of saidv air out swinging arms to make said idle rollers rotate in unison, means for intermittently rotating said positively driven roller,

an electric motor for driving said means for intermittently rotating said positively driven roller, a clutch, and means for automatically operating said clutch to permit but one revolution thereof, a switch for controlling the operation of said motor in conjunction with said means for automatically operating said clutch member.

7. In a street or station indicator, the combination of a belt having a series of names printed atregular intervals thereon, a ratchetmechanism for advancing said belt comprising a double ratchet wheel having ratchet teeth for rotating said ratchet wheel in either direction, a swinging arm, a pawl mounted on each end of said swinging arm, a cam mounted adjacent to said arm and rotatedindependently thereof, a pair of sliding bolts mounted on said arm, said cam being adapted to force one of said sliding bolts into engagement with one of said pawls and hold said pawl out o't'engagement with said ratchet wheel but allow the other of said sliding bolts to move away from the other of said pawls to permit its en gagement with said ratchet wheel and move said ratchet in one direction on the swinging of said arm.

8. In a street or station indicator, the combination of a belt having a series of names printed at regular intervals thereon, a roller engaging said'belt to intermittently advance the names on said belt, a ratchet mechanism for rotating said roller, an electric motor for rotating said ratchet mechanism, a switch for controlling the operating oi said motor, a clutch interposed between said motor and said ratchet mechanism, means for controlling said clutch on the operation of said electric motor to permit but one revolution of saidclutch at each operation of said switch.

In testimony whereofl aflix my signature.

JOHN W. CARNOOHAN. 

